80 ANIMAL LIFE AND HUMAN PKOGRESS 



his first assistant. The remaining naturalists are herded 

 together in one apartment commonly called the ' Insect-room ' 

 along with artists, messengers, and servants. Into this room 

 is shewn everybody who has business in the Zoological Depart- 

 ment of the British Museum, whether he comes as a student to 

 examine the collections or as a tradesman to settle an account. 

 — No hghts are allowed, and when the fogs of winter set in the 

 obscurity is such that it is difficult to see any object requiring 

 minute examination. Under these circimistances, it is more 

 than creditable to our zoologists that they should have turned 

 out the large amount of scientific work that has issued from 

 their department of the British Museum during the past 

 thirty years." 



That gives some idea of the status of a zoologist forty 

 years ago, and makes one feel that if, 'at the present day, 

 zoology does not occupy the place that it should, at any rate 

 we are better off than we were in the past, and we may have 

 some hope of the future. 



